Rubio Rejects Report Denying ‘Havana Syndrome’ Linked To Foreign Adversary
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) has rejected an intelligence community report claiming that “Havana Syndrome” — a mysterious illness that has affected diplomats — was not caused by a foreign adversary.
Rubio’s comments come just one day after several intelligence agencies, including the CIA, concluded that no foreign powers possess technology capable of causing the neurological symptoms attributed to “Havana Syndrome” that have been exhibited by more than 1,500 diplomats in 96 countries since 2016.
The Florida senator — who serves as vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee — denounced the report in a press release on Thursday.
“Something happened here and just because you don’t have all the answers, doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen. I will not accept that all these reported cases are just coincidences and I will continue to work on this issue until we receive real explanations,” Rubio wrote.
He went on to express concern over the intelligence community “rushing to a conclusion” despite the fact that numerous questions about the mystery illness and its causes remain.
“I am concerned that the Intelligence Community (IC) effectively concluded that U.S. personnel, who reported [Anomalous Health Incidents] (AHI) symptoms, were simply experiencing symptoms caused by environmental factors, illness, or preexisting conditions and is potentially rushing to a conclusion while a substantial number of questions remain,” Rubio wrote.
“The Senate Intelligence Committee will continue our ongoing independent review on AHIs and take steps to ensure that those officers affected by AHIs are receiving immediate and comprehensive care as required by law,” the press release concluded.
Just last year, an independent panel of experts asserted that an external energy source could be the culprit behind the symptoms — suggesting that a foreign power may have used “pulsed electromagnetic energy” to make these victims ill, according to the Washington Post.
The outlet went on to note that the assessment was supported by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine — concluding that “directed, pulsed radio frequency energy appears to be the most plausible mechanism in explaining these cases.”
Some are still making this assertion, even after the intelligence community’s report. Georgetown University’s Chief of Neuroethics James Giordano appeared on News Nation to discuss the issue.
